Dr. Deborah Willis Past

An artist, curator, and scholar, Dr. Deborah Willis is Professor and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at New York University. The author of numerous award-winning books, her research examines photography’s multifaceted histories, including images of slavery and emancipation; visual culture; and contemporary women photographers and beauty. She teaches courses on photography and imaging, iconicity, and cultural histories visualizing the black body, women, and gender. Among other honors, she has received the prestigious Guggenheim, Fletcher, and MacArthur fellowships.